Sen. David Holt, R-Oklahoma City, has filed legislation to make the Oklahoma Legislature subject to the Open Meetings and Open Records Acts. Those two statutes have long provided transparency to all levels of government, but not the Legislature, which exempted itself.
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“Media reports of the president's rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline confirms what Oklahomans already know: Obama cares more about his re-election prospects than our nation's energy independence and the hundreds of thousands of jobs this project would create.

“Pandering to far-left environmentalists might please the president's friends at MoveOn.org, but it won't help relieve the glut of crude oil in Cushing,
won't create jobs for Oklahomans, and certainly won't make America's energy future secure."

On Wednesday, Sen. Jim Wilson filed legislation to ensure access to individual health insurance for Oklahoma children. The Tahlequah Democrat said his bill is in response to the new rule allowing insurance companies writing policies in Oklahoma to avoid the Affordable Care Act requirement to offer health insurance for all children without regard to the child’s health status or condition. read more.

Sen. Bryce Marlatt, R-Woodward, has filed Senate Bill 1312. The measure makes it a crime if a person witnesses the sexual assault of child but fails to report the incident to police.

“In Oklahoma, if you witness a child being molested, you are required to report it to the Department of Human Services,” Marlatt said. “That simply isn’t enough. Until the perpetrator is arrested, there’s nothing to stop him from abusing that child or seeking out other victims. My legislation would require the person witnessing such a crime to call the police or local sheriff.”
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Every year, millions of taxpayer dollars are doled out to help Oklahoma families in need through public assistance programs. Some of these funds are given to individuals through fraudulent means who do not qualify for them. Sen. Josh Brecheen plans to help address some of the waste through two bills filed this week.
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A bill filed Thursday could help public housing authorities collect debts owed to them by tenants. Senate Bill 1019, by Sen. Earl Garrison and Rep. Jeannie McDaniel, would allow public housing authorities to file claims with the Oklahoma Tax Commission to deduct debts owed to them from tenants’ personal income tax refunds.
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The deadline for members of the Oklahoma State Senate to file legislation for the second session of the 53rd Legislature was 4 p.m. Thursday, January 19. A total of 972 bills and 45 joint resolutions were filed with 753 Senate Bills and 41 Senate Joint Resolutions carried over from the 2011 session.

Under Senate rules, appropriations bills are not subject to the deadlines pertaining to substantive (policy) bills. Last year, 976 substantive bills and 45 joint resolutions were filed by the 2011 deadline.
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Each year, thousands of Oklahoma school students take their end-of-instruction tests in order to be able to graduate. In an effort to help more students get their high school diploma and provide educators with more classroom time for teaching, Sen. Harry Coates has filed Senate Bill 1093.
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Sen. Sean Burrage, Democratic Leader of the State Senate, issued the following statement after Department of Human Services Director Howard Hendrick announced he would retire from that position at the end of February.

“Howard Hendrick has spent a quarter of a century of his life in public service, first as a member of the State Senate for 12 years and then as DHS Director for the past 13 years. I want to thank him for that service and dedication and wish Howard and his family the very best as they begin a new chapter in their lives.

“I applaud Insurance Commissioner Doak and state legislative leaders who have worked diligently over the last year to address this gap and ensure access to health coverage for our youngest citizens.

As a father and grandfather, I know how important it is for infants to have proper medical care. The care they receive in their first year will impact them the rest of their lives. This is why it’s so imperative that we make sure all of Oklahoma’s babies have access to high quality medical care and that can only be possible through having proper health coverage.